Braithwaite: Kwarans, indigenous contractors berate KWSG

By Mike Adeyemi and Suleiman Jimoh
Kwara Indigenous contractors have berated the state Government for downplaying local contractors in the execution of projects across the state and awarding same to Lagos socialite and friend, Sola Braithwaite.
This came on the heels of the allegation of shoddy handling of projects in the state by Braithwaite who was reportedly awarded the renovation of Government High School(GHS), Ilorin at the contract sum of N360 million.
Other contracts awarded to him include, renovation of 2 blocks in Sobi Specialist Hospital and 4 blocks at Hajj Camp under the COVID-19 contracts scheme.
Speaking on the development, the Financial Secretary of indigenous contractors, Alhaji Yusuf Ahmed said the state government got what it bargained for.
“I think they got what they actually bargained for. It is what they wanted that is happening in Kwara. They abandoned indigenous contractors for outsiders, saying we are not competent.
“We have complained to the governor, but we were not availed attention. Is it not saddening to leave your own local contractors to pick outsiders? “Yusuf queried.
Also speaking, the Assistant Secretary, Indigenous contractors, Alhaja Fatimoh Olorire said the case of Sola Braithwaite’s alleged contract scam would have been averted had it been the projects were contracted to indigenous contractors.
“Had it been the said contracts were given to a local person, we would have traced him and put him on his toes for a good job.”
She also alleged that the state government had deployed nepotism in the award of contracts to the association.
“We have two candidates of the Governor and his Deputy among us, and the two contracts awarded to our association was given to them.
“The beneficiaries of almost all projects in Kwara are people who were not with us during the struggle, “Olorire added.
Another member of the group who pleaded anonymity said Braithwaite in not known in the state and could not be fined by the group for alleged shoddy job.
“Who know him when all of us were struggling for this government? His is not meritorious. So far, indigenous contractors have only been given two contracts in the state in Edidi and Esie” she added.
Meanwhile Kwarans have continued to react to the issue with many accusing the government of reneging in his promise and breaching the procurement act.
According to an anomalous residence, “The Kwara state government has not really done well contracting out those contracts to foreign companies so to say outside Kwara state because in the last regimes, people were they were bringing foreign partners, the same thing they said they’re repeating it and because of that they wanted to castigate Saraki. It not good for the development of Kwara as it means you’re not developing the state. Any amount the foreign contractors made will be taken out of Kwara to the detriment of our people most especially human capital development and economy but citizens will benefit from such if it goes to locals.
But Ibrahim Olohunbowalasiri said “Our present governor has renege on the promises he made to Kwarans, because he promised that when he gets to office, all the contract jobs will be awarded to the local companies, and we have been seeing 2 or 3 examples whereby they’re giving contracts to Lagosians. That the company is listed has inactive means it hasn’t been working properly, which means it hasn’t been paying its due. Also whenever the government want to bring out a contract, not the new ones, I’m referring to the old ones, if we want to apply for a contract, they will open a tender for everybody and we will all pay a fee and they will pick the best. This company that is not well registered… that they’re awarding it to, and all our expectations are being dashed, all the work that they’re doing, no indigene of Ilorin is there, that is a Kwara state indigenous contractor. That is discouraging
But Alhaji Bolaji Yusuf Saheed described the situation as very bad.
“In doing any public business, there are rules and regulations and procedure, this case is in contravention of the procurement act and buying procedure. I work all my life in the civil service in the store section. I retired as a Chief Store Officer. We have a procedure of buying things for government because every government money must be properly accounted for. The procedure when you want to award contract is that the contractor must be properly registered apart from the CAC registration, it must have registered with the state government too, so all these things will be considered among other things. You don’t just give it out to a friend or crony.
“If you have a relative that is going to compete, even if you’re the head of that organization that is going to award the contract and you have a brother or a wife or anyone who want to bid, you have to declare your interest to the committee that this man is my in-law, so you have to declare that interest so that people will not favour him because of you being a member, you understand?
“So it is a very bad thing to award a contract to somebody whose registration is dormant, which means that he has not been returning anything to the government in term of revenue, tax to the CAC that is not alright”.